Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State Preview

Conference USA rivals meet on October 7, 2026, as the Kennesaw State Owls host the Jacksonville State Gamecocks with both squads returning from an identical 11-day rest period. Kennesaw State enters searching for its first win of 2026 after a 17-14 defeat to Arkansas State, while Jacksonville State comes in at 2-2 following a 23-13 victory over Middle Tennessee. Because we publish no model picks for college football, the numbers on the field and in the betting market frame this game's layout.

Offenses and Key Playmakers

For Jacksonville State, quarterback Caden Creel has operated as a focal point across four games this season. Creel has completed 66 of 98 passes for 785 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions, while also carrying the ball 66 times for 321 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Wide receiver Deondre Johnson leads the aerial attack with 12 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns, accompanied by Luke Gilbert (five catches, 135 yards, one touchdown) and Jamill Williams (11 catches, 94 yards, alongside a 14-yard pass completion). On the ground, Lucas Farrington has produced 150 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, while Jalen Likely has added 88 rushing yards on 24 carries and a receiving touchdown.

Kennesaw State features dual-threat quarterback Rickie Collins, who has completed 61 of 93 passes for 578 yards, one touchdown, and one interception across three games, while accumulating 33 rushing attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown. In the passing game, Zion Booker leads team targets with 15 receptions for 130 yards in two games, complemented by Javon Rogers (seven receptions, 139 yards) and Brayden Munroe (10 receptions, 122 yards). Out of the backfield, Boogie Woods III has logged 28 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns, supported by Latrelle Murrell with 66 rushing yards on 13 attempts.

Player	Team	Key Form Stats
Caden Creel	Jacksonville State	785 pass YDS, 4 TD / 321 rush YDS, 3 TD
Rickie Collins	Kennesaw State	578 pass YDS, 1 TD / 134 rush YDS, 1 TD
Deondre Johnson	Jacksonville State	12 REC, 204 REC YDS, 2 TD
Zion Booker	Kennesaw State	15 REC, 130 REC YDS, 0 TD

Recent Form and Head-to-Head History

Because early-season slates draw from a ten-game window, each team's recent results reach back into the late stages of the 2025 season and their respective bowl games. Kennesaw State's prior ten games feature a 41-6 bowl win over Western Michigan on December 19, 2025, alongside wins over Missouri State (41-34) and Liberty (48-42). Jacksonville State's recent stretch includes a 17-13 bowl victory against Troy on December 16, 2025.

In 2026, Jacksonville State holds victories against Georgia Southern (31-27) and Middle Tennessee (23-13), with losses to North Dakota State (33-7) and Ohio (29-27). Kennesaw State is 0-3 in 2026, having dropped games to Georgia State (31-17), Tennessee (42-9), and Arkansas State (17-14). Head-to-head, Jacksonville State earned a 35-26 win on November 15, 2025, before Kennesaw State responded with a 19-15 win on December 5, 2025.

Market Line Movement

The market opened with Jacksonville State favored by 2.5 points on the road, and that point spread has shifted up to 3.0 points across consensus sportsbooks. Moneyline pricing sits around -140 to -155 for Jacksonville State and +115 to +126 for Kennesaw State. The game total opened at 51.5 points before contracting down two full points to 49.5 across the board.